Snap-on vacuum break device for refrigerators



March 25, 1969 E. H. SCHWENKER 3,434,239

SNAP-ON VACUUM BREAK DEVICE FOR REFRIGERATOBS Filed March 25, 1968 FIG. 5

'INVENTOR ER\ c. H. SCHWENKER United States Patent Office 3,434,239 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 US. Cl. 49-478 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A partial vacuum relief device for refrigeration apparatus. The device is adapted to clip onto a magnetic door gasket and to provide an air flow path from the refrigeration apparatus enclosure to the ambient atmosphere sur-' rounding the refrigeration apparatus. The air flow path is closed by a flexible flap which acts in the manner of a I check valve to allow air to enter the enclosure but not to escape therefrom.

This invention relates generally to refrigeration apparatus and more specifically to a vacuum relief device for equalizing pressure between a refrigerator or freezer compartment and the ambient atmosphere.

In modern refrigeration apparatus such as domestic refrigerators and freezers it is conventional to use socalled magnetic gaskets for sealing the doors of such refrigerators and freezers. The gasket not only acts as a seal but also as the latching means for the door as opposed to older mechanically releasable latches. A door opening problem has been encountered with the use of the modern magnetic gasket seal and latch. For example, when a refrigerator or freezer door is open the cold air within the refrigerated compartment tends to spill out allowing warmer ambient air to enter the refrigerated compartment. When the door is subsequently closed the warm air which entered the compartment when the door was open is cooled, and contracts, creating a low pressure within the refrigerated compartment. The higher ambient pressure then acts on the outside of the door to create a force in addition to the force of the magnets which must be overcome in order to open the door. The pressure differential will, of course, equalize over a period of time due to air leakage into the refrigerated compartment. However, modern refrigerators are typically well sealed and a substantial period of time elapses before the pressure equalizes. If a user has forgotten an item within the refrigerated compartment, he may go back and attempt to open the door within a short period of time after having closed it. Under these conditions the pressure differential has not equalized and a substantial force must be overcome in order to open the door. While the pressure differential is relatively small, the area of the door over which the pressure differential acts is large so that the absolute force can be substantial. Thus it is desirable to provide a means for relieving the pressure differential as it occurs, or rapidly upon attempted opening of the door.

It is a principle object of the invention to provide a simple check valve device for relieving reduced pressure or partial vacuum within a refrigerated compartment.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a device which may be installed on refrigeration apparatus not factory equipped with vacuum relief means.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a vacuum relief device which may be clipped to the magnetic gasket of modern refrigerators.

Further objects of the invention will become obvious after reading the accompanying description read in connection with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows a front elevation of a modern refrigerator with its doors opened and equipped with devices incorporating the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the gasket of the refrigerator equipped with a device incorporating the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the device incorporating the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, a modern side-by-side combination refrigerator-freezer apparatus is generally designated 10. Apparatus is provided with a refrigerator door 12 for closing a refrigerator compartment 14. The apparatus is further provided with a freezer door 16 for closing a freezer compartment 18. The apparatus 10 is provided with a conventional refrigeration system (not shown) for maintaining refrigerator and freezer temperatures in compartments 14 and .18 respectively. Doors 12. and 16 are provided with magnetic gaskets 20 and 22 respectively for sealing the compartments 14 and 18 and for providing a latching means for maintaining the doors closed. As shown in FIGURE 1, vacuum release devices 24 and 26 are shown clipped to the lower portions of magnetic gaskets 20 and 22 respectively.

. Since the devices are identical and their operation is the same whether used in connection with a refrigerator or freezer compartment, the following description will refer only to the device 26 as used in connection with freezer 18.

Referring now to FIGURES 2-5, the vacuum relief device 2-6 is shown to comprise a generally C-shaped channel member 28 provided with relieved portions or apertures 30 extending transversely across the closed side of channel member 28. The channel member 28 is preferably formed of a plastic material which is flexible enough to permit clipping the channel member 28 over gasket 22 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. When clipped in place, it will Ibe noted that the channel member defines with gasket 22 a pair of air flow paths 32 when door 16 is closed as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

A thin flexible elastomeric flap 34 is provided on the compartment side of channel member 28 to close the air flow path 32 as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. Flap 34 is aflixed to channel member 28 with an edge or lip 36 left free to move between an air path closing position and an air path opening position shown in broken lines in FIGURE 4. With the door 16 closed as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, the lip 36 of flap 34 engages a frame 38 around compartment 18.

As best seen in FIGURE 5 the flexible magnetic gasket 22 conforms to the contour of frame 38 except in the area where the device 26 is clipped to the gasket. In this area the thickness of the material used in channel member 28 holds the gasket away from frame 38 and thus forms the air flow paths 32 as defined above. In addition to the air flow paths 32 a pair of very small openings 40 and 41 are created at the ends of device 26. These openings are created due to the transition the gasket must make between sealing and non-sealing relationship with frame 38 in the area of device 26.

In operation and assuming that the freezer door 16 has been opened to take an item from compartment 18, and further assuming that an amount of warm air has entered compartment 18 and the door has been reclosed, trapping that air Within the compartment 18, the warm air will immediately begin cooling and contracting thereby creating a reduced pressure within compartment 18. Since the lip of flap 34 is initially in the position illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 4 a pressure differential will be created across the lip. When the pressure differential reaches a point where the weight of the thin flap cannot maintain the seal between the lip 36 and frame 38, the lip will move to the broken line position illustrated in FIGURE 4 and allow air to enter compartment 18 through air flow paths 32. Where the pressure differential across lip 36 is insufficient to raise the lip, the openings 40 and 41 will permit air to enter compartment 18 at a very slow rate to equalize the pressure.

Thus when the pressure differential across the device is relatively large, the lip 36 of fla-p 34 will open allowing air to enter the compartment and where the pressure dif ferential is slight, air may enter the compartment through openings 40 and 41. When the pressure differential across the lip 36 has equalized, the lip will fall back to scaling relationship with frame 38 thus precluding the escape of any significant amounts of cold air from the compartment 18. Connecting webs 42 between the apertures 30 of channel member 28 support the lip 36 so that it does not drop down out of sealing engagement with frame 38.

While only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described, it will be understood that it is capable of modification. Changes, therefore, in the construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In refrigeration apparatus having a cabinet defining a refrigerated enclosure closable by a door provided with a magnetic gasket for engaging said cabinet and sealing said enclosure, the improvement comprising:

a device for relieving partial vacuum in said refrigerated enclosure when the door of said enclosure is closed, said device including an elongate channel member having a face provided with a relieved section, said channel member embracing a portion of said magnetic gasket with said relieved section facing said cabinet; and a flexible flap aflixed to said channel member and extending therefrom toward said cabinet, said flap being arranged to cover said relieved section when the pressure within said enclosure is substantially equal to the pressure exteriorly of said cabinet and to open said relieved section when a partial vacuum exists within said enclosure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said channel member comprises a flexible material.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said channel member deforms said magnetic gasket adjacent opposite ends of said channel member and precludes sealing engagement of said gasket with said cabinet at the ends of said channel member.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein a portion of said channel member adjacent said relieved section is arranged to support said flexible flap in covering relationship to said relieved section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,659,115 11/1953 Anderson et a1. 49478 X 3,201,833 8/1965 Bryson et al. 49478 3,331,648 7/1967 Petkwitz et al 49478 X REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

PHILIP C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

